DRUNK REVIEW: A Plague of Giants by Kevin Hearne

What I drank prior: My company holiday party was tonight. It wasn’t my team’s hoough so I got to hang with my friends and gett hammered. We pre-gamed, had our 2 (maybe 3?) glasses of wine, then wnt to a house party, then to a bar. I am in an Uber…. really fucking drunk.

Spoiler-free Overview: Okay, so this story is interesting. Setting: we’re in a town post-some war, a Bard comes to town and basically gathers the people and tells ’em how they all got to where they were…. from the point when the Giants came. So you get the present and the past. There are many cultures, and each kinda has control over one kenning (or magic type). Think…. Avatar? There’s water, plants, fire, stone, etc. That’s not avatar, but you know what i mean. Anywho, these ‘bone giants’ come to town outtta nowhere and kill everyone. Quite literally. Spurs a war, on top of another war already brewing. There may be a new type of magic (kenning) comnin around. Who knows? I do. BUt you have to read the book to find out.

Spoiler-free Thoughts: Guys I loved this book. It was a wonderful fantasy story filled with magic and wonder, battles and action, politics and betrayal, relationships and love. Also, would like to call out the wonderful rep in this book. Almost everyone in the story is dark-skinned (lightest skin mentioned is copper), LGBTQ+, young/old, etc. REally really good.

Characters: This book is so well rounded. There were characters I adored and took into my bookish children family, there were characters i wanted to murder in their sleep, it was just incredibly amazing how connected i felt to them. THe Bard is an unreliable narrator (but is he?). Dervan is a cinnamon roll. The King was just. The villain was VILLAINOUS, Abhi is my precious child, Nel was amazing. Just a GREAT cast of characters. THey were well rounded and flawed but relateable? I loved it. I need more of them in my life.

Plot: I could not put this book down. It’s a huge-ass book. But I chugged it down like the beer i just downed before they called last call. He puts in these tiny details, lik in this culture, to say thanks for anything it’s appropirate to send a gift baskey. Literally everyone sends gift baskets. Its amazing. I have more notes on this book than I can read rn. >.>

Writing Style: I loved that we heard the story through Fentin (the Bard). Can we trust him? He’s techniclly an unreliable narrator, but I trust him? Idk, i love the style that Hearne has.

World Building: The magic system is so cool. The world gave me some Africa gets taken over by imperialists vibes? Kinda? Drunk Sam can’t explain that very well. The conflict is built over time, we learn certain details at the right moment. It’s just really well done.

What to pair it with: A great high-ABV craft beer. This book is delivious and will fuck you up at the same time.